The object of the basic application (Horn et al application No. 193,481 U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,642 is the development of a process for the production of the phosphide of aluminum or magnesium in which the finely divided metal or an alloy of the two metals is reacted with yellow phosphorus at a temperature between 300.degree. and 600.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere and in the presence of chlorine, bromine, iodine, or a compound of such elements with phosphorus, sulfur, hydrogen, ammonium, zinc, or the metal being reacted.
According to a particularly preferred form, first the finely divided or gritty metal is intimately mixed with the catalyst. The mixture is heated in a suitable reactor capable of being enclosed in an inert gas atmosphere, for example, under nitrogen at normal pressure to the reaction between 300.degree. and 600.degree. C. When the desired reaction temperature is reached liquid yellow phosphorus is added at such a speed that the heat of reaction liberated is led off without problem and the temperature can be maintained in the range between 300.degree. and 600.degree. C.